SAN DIEGO, June 3, 2022 – Military Pilot Instructors at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, like the ones in the new Top Gun film, have voted to go on strike, beginning Friday, June 3.
The employer, Lockheed Martin, has refused to fairly compensate the eight highly accomplished pilots, members of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 1125 (District 725), for their advanced qualifications that include the requirement to perform and teach specialized tactics in the air combat environment, to F-35 military pilots aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
“Each instructor here has proudly served our nation’s military in the fighter squadrons across the world and continues to put in countless hours to perfect our craft and ability to instruct at very high levels,” said Military Pilot Trainer Ryan Cunningham, who goes by the call sign “Closet.” “We’re asking that Lockheed Martin treat us with the same respect we demonstrate to this company, our military, and specifically this profession, each and every day.”
When asked how he feels about his work, Closet stated, “The pride we take in our work is immense – We, along with our military instructor pilot brethren across the street, are the foundation of the development of young F-35 fighter pilots. The responsibility is difficult to grasp and never taken lightly. The young men and women that we send across the street after training with them for hundreds of hours at the PTC have the capacity to strap into our nation’s newest fighter and operate that F-35 safely, alone, with zero previous flight hours in a tactical aircraft.”
“IAM members at Miramar Air Station are not only uniquely qualified professionals, but they are also members of our San Diego community,” said IAM District 725 President and Directing Business Representative David Brewer. “We appreciate all the support for our membership as we fight for fairness for San Diego’s very own Top Gun pilots Instructors.”
“The pilots at Miramar Air Station are the finest this country has to offer,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen. “Lockheed Martin owes it to them and our nation’s military to treat these Top Gun pilots fairly. The IAM will use every resource necessary to get a fair contract.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is one of the largest and most diverse industrial trade unions in North America, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.
IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. has appointed Sam Cicinelli to serve as a Special Assistant to IAM Midwest Territory General Vice President Steve Galloway, effective June 1, 2022. Cicinelli previously served as Directing Business Representative of IAM Local Lodge 701, the nation’s largest mechanics local representing over 5,600 workers in the Chicagoland area. He has been an IAM member for nearly 34 years.
“Sam Cicinelli brings with him more than three decades experience and knowledge as a union tradesman and union activist focused on improving the lives of working families,” said Martinez. “His drive, work ethic, experience in the automotive industry, knack for organizing, ingenuity and creative thinking when it comes to problem-solving will prove useful in the Midwest Territory.”
As DBR, Cicinelli led two successful, highly-publicized strikes, which resulted in the complete dismantling of Chicago’s new car dealer association. He’s also successfully managed and expanded one of the IAM’s premiere apprenticeship training programs, the Mechanics Local 701 Training Center.
Cicinelli initiated into Local 701 as a Cadillac Technician in 1988. He served as Shop Steward for 11 years and Vice-President for five years. Cicinelli was appointed as an Organizer in 2000 and a Business Representative in 2001, where he serviced the trailer and body industry, automotive and body shop technicians, forklift industry, United Parcel Service and ITLRA General Trucking (ABF, Roadway, USF Holland and Yellow Transportation). He was selected to serve as Assistant Directing Business Representative in 2010 and appointed by the Executive Board to serve as Directing Business Representative in 2012.
Cicinelli’s experience also includes Chairman and Trustee on the Local 701 Health and Welfare and Pension Funds, Chairman of the Local 701 Apprenticeship Training Fund and Chairman of the Local 701 401(k) Defined Contribution Plan.
The month of June is nationally recognized as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) Pride Month in commemoration of the Stonewall Uprising of June 1969 in New York City.
For Pride, the Machinists Union is celebrating members of the LGBTQ+ community and raising awareness of discrimination and injustice LGBTQ+ people and workers are still fighting against.
It was only in 2020 that the Bostock Supreme Court ruling federally outlawed discrimination against LGBTQ+ workers in the United States. Before this ruling, it was legal in 28 states to fire workers for their sexual orientation
The Machinists are an allied union with Pride at Work, an AFL-CIO constituency group that organizes mutual support between the labor movement and the LGBTQ+ community to further social and economic justice.
In alliance with Pride at Work, the Machinists advocate for a strong and progressive labor movement that promotes full equality and respect for LGBTQ+ workers and their families. Union contracts can protect LGBTQ+ workers from discrimination, unfair treatment and harassment in the work place.
IAM believes LGBTQ+ rights are workers’ rights and pledges to fight for those rights with LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters every day.
To get involved with Pride at Work, check out their website and follow them on social media, @prideatwork.
In Return to Historic Roots, IAM Creates Rail Division Led by Josh Hartford as Union Grows Strength for TCU/IAM, IAM District 19 Members
IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. has appointed Josh Hartford, who has served as an IAM District 19 General Chairman since 2017, as Special Assistant to the International President for the IAM Rail Division. The Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM) and IAM District 19, which combined represent tens of thousands of railroad workers, are now charter members of the IAM Rail Division and remain separate entities with the same current authority over all Local Lodges within their jurisdiction.
Hartford’s appointment and the creation of the IAM Rail Division were both effective May 1, 2022.
The announcement is a fulfillment of the 2012 merger agreement between TCU/IAM and the IAM, which clearly stated that both parties would create a Rail Division comprised of TCU/IAM and IAM District 19. The creation of this division makes the IAM a powerhouse in the rail sector and encourage additional growth.
Hartford, who will report directly to the International President in his new role, initiated into IAM Local 409, now Local 318, in Waterville, ME as a machinist for the Springfield Terminal Railway Co. He served in a variety of local lodge positions before being appointed District 19 Employee Assistance Program Coordinator. He was also elected President of the Central Maine Labor Council from 2017 to 2019.
Hartford became a District 19 General Chairman in 2017 and was elected to another four-year term in 2019. His tenure includes overseeing many railroad agreements and working in several bargaining coalitions with various railroad unions. He’s currently a member of the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) and the District 19 arbitration review board. The IAM Rail Division will immediately begin work to better represent the similar interests of TCU/IAM and IAM District 19 members.
Richard Johnsen Becomes General Vice President of New IAM Air Transport Territory
The IAM Executive Council has taken action to create an IAM Air Transport Territory, consisting of all IAM air transport members in the United States. Richard Johnsen, formerly IAM Chief of Staff to the International President, has joined the IAM Executive Council as Air Transport General Vice President.
The creation of the IAM Air Transport Territory, which includes IAM District 141 and IAM District 142, and the appointment of Johnsen as General Vice President, were both effective May 1, 2022.
The IAM, representing more than 100,000 air transport members, is the largest air transport union in North America.
The creation of the IAM Air Transport Territory and the IAM Rail Division allows the IAM to better focus on the distinctive
needs of its air transport and railroad memberships, respectively.
As Chief of Staff to the International President, Johnsen has spent nearly the past year traveling the country to listen to
air transport members and address their concerns as the industry emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Johnsen, a 33-year IAM member who began as a mechanic assistant at United Airlines, has devoted increasing resources
to securing the strongest possible contracts for air transport members, including the overwhelming member ratification
of a Hawaiian Airlines agreement that secures historic job protections and pay raises. Johnsen has emerged as a leader
in calling for increased staffing and more severe penalties against unruly passengers in the air transport industry.
Under Johnsen’s direction, the IAM is devoting more resources to organizing in the air transport sector, including
a recent organizing win for flight attendants.
Since initiating IAM Local 1781 in 1988, Johnsen has served in a variety of capacities at the Local, District, and Grand Lodge levels. He became Assistant General Chairperson for IAM District 141M in 2000 and joined the Grand Lodge staff as a Special Representative in 2001.
Johnsen then served as a Grand Lodge Representative before being appointed Special Assistant to the International President in February 2021. In June 2021, Johnsen was appointed Chief of Staff to the International President.
Johnsen serves on the boards of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD), United Airlines, the International
Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), and the Cooperating Railway Labor Organizations (CRLO).
Brian Bryant Becomes Resident General Vice President, David Sullivan Joins Executive Council as Eastern Territory General Vice President
The IAM Executive Council has taken action to appoint Brian Bryant as Resident General Vice President at IAM Headquarters.
Eastern Territory Chief of Staff David Sullivan has been appointed to fill Bryant’s position as Eastern Territory
General Vice President. Both appointments were effective May 1, 2022.
Bryant, a 32-year IAM member, brings a wealth of experience to the Resident-General Vice President position, a position he held from October 2018 to July 2021. Bryant also served as a General Vice President in the General Secretary- Treasurer’s Office from August 2016 to October 2018.
A native of Maine, Bryant initiated into the IAM in 1989 when he joined Local S6 as a pipe fitter at Bath Iron Works. He would serve in a variety of positions, including President of Local S6, before being elected District 4 Directing Business Representative in 1998. In 2004, Bryant joined the IAM Eastern Territory staff, and in 2009 he became Eastern Territory Chief of Staff.
David Sullivan, a 33-year IAM member, joined the Eastern Territory staff in 2016 after serving as District 4 Directing Business Representative, Assistant Directing Business Representative, and Business Representative. Sullivan served the Eastern Territory as a Special Representative and Grand Lodge Representative before becoming Eastern Territory Chief of Staff in July 2021.
He initially joined the Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers, which merged into the IAM in 1988, as a shipbuilder at Bath Iron Works in Maine. He served as a Shop Steward, Local Lodge Officer, and on several committees in IAM Local S6.
NFFE-IAM Wildland Firefighters Call for Respect on Capitol Hill
Ahead of another intense wildfire season, roughly a dozen NFFEIAM firefighters, who service government-owned land, forests, and parks, visited Washington, D.C., urging lawmakers to address critical concerns such as an urgent need for wage increases amid increasing costs of living, improved health, and wellness coverage, and better working conditions.
An additional concern is seasonal NFFE-IAM firefighters, a significant portion of the workforce, many of whom have limited access to health insurance and are not eligible for government retirement. Retirement benefits for full-time firefighters, which require 20 years of service, do not cover seasonal NFFE-IAM members, even if they worked 20 years of equivalent time, simply because they are not full-time permanent employees.
NFFE-IAM says the visits in Washington, which included meetings with representatives from the White House and lawmakers on Capitol Hill, were productive. NFFE-IAM’s goal is to get firefighters and our national landscape the help they need.
Baltimore County Public Library Employees Vote Overwhelmingly to Join Machinists Union
Approximately 460 Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) employees who recently organized with the IAM recently voted overwhelmingly to ratify their first union contract. Full and part-time BCPL employees at the administrative office and the 19 county library branches are part of the agreement.
The one-year collective bargaining agreement includes pay increases, and paid leave, among other significant improvements. Among several work rule improvements, the agreement creates a labor-management committee.
The first contract with BCPL comes after years of organizing, including the IAM winning a new state law allowing BCPL employees to collectively bargain.
New York Cascades Workers, Machinists Union Win Long Battle to Vote on, Ratify First Contract
More than 100 workers at the Cascades Containerboard facility in Niagara Falls, N.Y., successfully ratified a strong first collective bargaining agreement.
The facility’s group of more than 100 workers voted to join the Machinists Union in April 2019 and have been attempting to bargain for a fair contract for nearly three years. Cascades Containerboard, a Canadian-owned company, failed to listen to U.S. lawmakers, labor leaders, or their workers as they called on the company to bargain a fair contract.
The IAM Legislative and Political Department played a vital role in helping achieve this victory. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) wrote a letter urging Canada-based Cascades, Inc. to negotiate in good faith with more than 100 of its Niagara Falls, N.Y. employees.
New York Veterinary Hospital Workers Win Historic Victory, Join IAM
Over 130 workers at Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services (VSES) in Rochester, NY, overwhelmingly voted to join the IAM.
The National Labor Relations Board vote count was announced live on a Zoom call with Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services workers, members of the IAM, and the National Veterinary Professionals Union.
Thrive Pet Healthcare owns VSES. The unit of 130 workers is made up of licensed veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, front desk staff, and other critical staff. The company’s controlling shareholder is a private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners.
Machinists Union: President Biden’s Historic ‘Buy American’ Expansion Answers Decades-Long Calls from U.S. Workers
The Machinists Union has championed and called for an expansion of ‘Buy American’ domestic content requirements for decades.
The Machinists Union, U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth championed an amendment to the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act that would have made a similar ‘Buy American’ threshold increase for defense products. That bipartisan amendment passed the House before being defeated by corporate-backed politicians in the Senate.
The Biden administration is now applying that rule—that any product stamped with ‘Made in America’ should have 75% of its value come from parts made here in the United States—to all products purchased with taxpayer dollars by 2029.
IAM Legislative Advocacy Saves Hundreds of Missouri Local 778 Ammunition Production Jobs
The Machinists Union scored a huge legislative win for IAM Local 778 Members at the Olin-Winchester Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) in Independence, MO. Proposed budget cuts, now canceled due to the IAM’s advocacy, would have had a devastating impact on the 1,700 workers at the facility.
The fiscal year 2022 budget unwisely included a 30 to 50 percent reduction in these munitions compared to 2021. At the time, IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. sent a letter to U.S. House and Senate appropriators, urging them to reject the effort to cut funding for U.S. Army ammunitions and asking them to restore adequate funding for the procurement of small caliber ammunition for the U.S. Army.
The Independence facility manufactures the Army’s 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm, and .50-caliber rifle ammunition.
IAM District 141 and District 142 Members at Hawaiian Airlines Overwhelmingly Ratify Contract with Historic Job Protections, Pay Raises
Approximately 2,500 IAM members at Hawaiian Airlines, represented by IAM Districts 141 and 142, have overwhelmingly ratified strong five-year collective bargaining agreements with the carrier. The agreements win the best job protections and the largest pay raises for Clerical and Related Agents, Ramp, Aircraft, and GSE Mechanics and Related in the history of Hawaiian Airlines.
Highlights of the agreements include:
An increase in the base rate of pay on the date of ratification by a minimum of 10%, and increases each year over the five years of the contract by 2%.
Limits the contributions employees will pay for health care.
Increases the number of day trades available for members.
Raises mandatory overtime pay.
The agreements will bring more fairness and expand healthcare options for part-time workers.
IAM Local 2424 President William Harkum talks about the help he received from the IAM Veterans Services Department during his VA appeal. IAM Veterans Services Coordinator Richard Evans describes how the IAM is ready to help IAM military veterans and encourages members with any questions to call 1-866-IAM4VET.
The Machinists Union shares a more than six decade legacy with Fort Rucker Army Base. The men and
women who have made this post a leader of aviation excellence share a sense of pride in their work. IAM Local 2003 members maintain the helicopters used to train U.S. Army pilots operating worldwide.
Recently, the IAM ratified a new, strong three-year agreement between Local 2003 and M1 Support Services at Fort Rucker in Alabama for approximately 3,500 members who perform aircraft maintenance and flight support at M1.
The accord includes many improvements such as annual wage increases, the continuation of $5 per hour contributions to the IAM National Pension Fund (IAMNPF), and $2 per hour contributions over the life of the agreement to a new 401(k) plan, while maintaining their healthcare.
Other improvements include an increased vacation schedule for all members, new premiums for commercial drivers’ license holders, lead pay, and non-destructive
inspection pay.
With each ensuing contract, the Machinists Union has been steadily improving the livelihoods of its Fort Rucker members.
What This Contract Means to the Members
For Anthony Holton, a 22-year Local 2003 member, the new contract has positively affected him and his family by relieving the pressures of waiting in an uncertain economy.
“For my family, it has taken us to a position of stability,” said Holton. “We knew that we had set money, unlike a few years before, when we had the stress of a new contract vote. It helps relieve that uncertainty and fear. It has quieted the fears of the membership for basically the same reasons, and we know what tomorrow is going to bring at this point.”
Throughout Holton’s time at Fort Rucker, he has learned how and why a union is important for the membership. The stability it brings to a work environment, the ability to say no to something illegal, immoral or unsafe is a huge benefit.
“Knowing that there is a standard contract that everyone has to adhere to, myself included, is reassuring to the company and membership,” added Holton. “It gives us a standard at which to hold ourselves accountable. The union coming into Fort Rucker has provided a stable and reliable workforce that puts safety and honor above everything else.”
The IAM was able to attain many gains in this contract that ensure members will be able to provide for their families for years to come.
“The IAM has fought for equal rights and equality over the entire contract,” said Holton. “Implementing the 401(k) helps shore up our ability to retire and enjoy life on the backside of our career without the stresses of the uncertain.
Members believe in the leadership and their ability to speak for them, not only as a whole through the contracts but also as individuals on the floor and in the community. I believe we are going down a solid road in which we will forever be able to provide for each other, our families, and the soldiers of Fort Rucker.”
Renee Killings is also a proud member of Local Lodge 2003. Her union journey began in 2000, coming from the private sector into what is now her union, the IAM. It has been an eye-opening experience for her. She went from having an open relationship with management to shifting to a centralized, more personal collective bargaining agreement (CBA).
She and others with whom she works with closely feel this change has been for the better in multiple ways. Matters that used to be overlooked are now taken seriously. Being a single mother, her home life was just as important as this new representation. She was an average, dues-paying employee for years – not directly involved with the union until about 10 years ago, when she became a local shop steward.
“Two years ago, I was elected clerical GNC, which enabled me to help negotiate our last contract,” said Killings. “That position allowed me to gain union knowledge and how it operates, functions, and can better serve my fellow union brothers and sisters. I strongly feel that holding that position made me rise to the challenge of being a better employee
because I can see both sides of the operation.”
Killings and her fellow negotiating committee members have received compliments and gratitude for negotiating the Fort Rucker contract, which takes effect in May 2022. They look forward to incorporating the new changes with the old verbiage.
“The company now contributing to our 401(k) plan is unprecedented,” said Killings. “The membership was very pleased when this was implemented in our new collective bargaining agreement. As a negotiating committee member, we felt a sense of accomplishment once the agreement was overwhelmingly accepted. Moving forward, our new contract will surely surpass expectations.”
Fort Rucker’s surrounding area and culture have grown tremendously because of this contract. They now have a wide variety of ethnicities as well as genders. In 2000, women and people of color were sparse; however, their numbers are growing in both areas today.
“Because Fort Rucker’s areas are small, many family members can gain employment to better themselves and their families due to having such a great contract,” said Killings. “Fort Rucker and the Machinists Union have afforded many people great benefits, excellent salaries, and overall stability to help enrich their lives.”
Killings’ continued involvement in IAM District 75 has resulted in her being recently elected as District 75 Secretary-Treasurer.
Local 2003 President Shane Davis has seen much change since he initiated into the IAM in 2007. He has seen many difficult contract negotiations, but each ensuing contract battle resulted in better living conditions and respect for the members.
“In 2014, the company, unfortunately, came to the table with a less than stellar contract that the membership wanted no part of,” said Davis. “We overwhelmingly voted to go on strike, to the surprise of the contractor and, quite frankly, the entire community. It wasn’t for lack of effort from negotiating committee or anyone involved from the IAM. It was a message that was required to be sent to the company. The IAM would not stand for unfair treatment of our fellow brothers and sisters, nor would we stand for a lackluster contract. We made a few gains when we returned from the strike, but the message was clear; the membership wanted to be heard.”
In 2018, a new contractor was awarded the contract at Fort Rucker, M1 Support Services, and the IAM negotiating team had a huge task in bridging the previous contract with the new.
“I appreciate all the representatives whose tireless work resulted in the membership gaining improved contract language and economics that I’ve never seen in my time negotiating a contract,” said Davis.
In the subsequent years, the company improved workplace morale and grievances significantly decreased. The membership overwhelmingly voted to enter into negotiations early.
The negotiating committee brought a contract proposal to the membership that outdid the previous contract.
“None of this would be possible without a strong union and a company that sees the merits of taking care of a workforce that takes care of them,” said Davis. “My wife and I both are members of this great union. This strong contract will have a generational impact on our family and the membership families.
Why the IAM’s Aerospace Department is Placing an Increased Importance on 401(k) and Pension Plans in Negotiations
The IAM’s Aerospace Department is delivering a strong message to the companies they are currently negotiating with that they will be unwavering in improving retirement provisions for their members in upcoming contracts.
Some companies have pension benefits for the older members, but don’t have defined-benefit pensions for newer workers. Many of the major employers who had defined benefit pensions in the past now have no plan at all, while many are offering 401(k) plans.
During negotiations, the Aerospace Department works with many district and local lodges to target 401(k) plans and improve the employer contributions. Employers offer, on average, around 4% of annual income towards the employees’ 401(k) plan. This is insufficient compared to the savings enjoyed by the employers who phased out definedbenefit pensions.
“We need to continue to educate the membership on the importance of contributing personal funds into the 401(k) plan,” said IAM Aerospace General Vice President Mark Blondin.
In some cases, employer savings amount to several thousand dollars per year, per employee that the employer is no longer using for a defined benefit pension. They simply put the money in their pocket and take it from the membership.
The Aerospace Department seeks to convert these employer savings into employer contributions to their members’ 401(k) plans.
In some cases, more than 15% of annual pay would be the appropriate amount for companies to pay.
“The Aerospace Department’s obligation and commitment are to do all we can to secure a good retirement for all workers,” said Blondin. “During uncertain times, the generation of workers left behind in the ‘pension steal’ deserve contracts that help them secure their future. Since their inception, most companies have not paid their fair share into 401(k) plans. Times are going to change.”
“As with every negotiation, there are issues that each side feels are important to be addressed,” said IAM District 75 Business Representative Randy Garrett. “I feel that our Negotiating Committee did an excellent job of studying the membership surveys, talking one-on-one with the members they represent to identify and prioritize those issues, and with the help and support of Aerospace Chief of Staff Jody Bennett and Aerospace Coordinator Tony Wirth, we were successful in getting changes which met our member’s approval. Thanks to everyone at IAM Strategic Resources, Southern Territory, headquarters staff and the entire Aerospace Department for supporting us.”
The IAM Executive Council has taken action to appoint Brian Bryant as Resident General Vice President at IAM Headquarters.
Ahead of another intense wildfire season, roughly a dozen NFFEIAM firefighters, who service government-owned land, forests, and parks, visited Washington, D.C., urging lawmakers to address critical concerns such as an urgent need for wage increases amid increasing costs of living, improved health, and wellness coverage, and better working conditions.
Approximately 460 Baltimore County Public Library (BCPL) employees who recently organized with the IAM recently voted overwhelmingly to ratify their first union contract. Full and part-time BCPL employees at the administrative office and the 19 county library branches are part of the agreement.
More than 100 workers at the Cascades Containerboard facility in Niagara Falls, N.Y., successfully ratified a strong first collective bargaining agreement.
Over 130 workers at Veterinary Specialists and Emergency Services (VSES) in Rochester, NY, overwhelmingly voted to join the IAM.
The Machinists Union has championed and called for an expansion of ‘Buy American’ domestic content requirements for decades.
The Machinists Union scored a huge legislative win for IAM Local 778 Members at the Olin-Winchester Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) in Independence, MO. Proposed budget cuts, now canceled due to the IAM’s advocacy, would have had a devastating impact on the 1,700 workers at the facility.
Approximately 2,500 IAM members at Hawaiian Airlines, represented by IAM Districts 141 and 142, have overwhelmingly ratified strong five-year collective bargaining agreements with the carrier. The agreements win the best job protections and the largest pay raises for Clerical and Related Agents, Ramp, Aircraft, and GSE Mechanics and Related in the history of Hawaiian Airlines.